New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-09-18
a MOSLEM REVIVAL.
rrRkIsH RULE CONSOLIDATED BY a Pkof'
AGATI0N OF The FAITH.

rrRKIsH RULE CONSOLIDATED BY A PROP
AGATI0N OF The FAITH.
,x,ox AN occ asroSAL CORRESPONDENT OF TiE Th..9H
pno" ~ BEIRUT, SYRIA. August 20.
srhat norton of Western Asia still nnaer '"' :"
of tho Turkish power Is passing through - :.
.x,eriencs which is nothing more nor 'es' mas
49,, rsv,v,, Az might he expected, SUCH
,,ovsm.,t il almost altogether poitical anu On 'he
r,aos va, m careful observer can ial 10 "oie ,no
80. Of ,upiversai advance. s" well t'med ina.
tha whole empire ssems to be animated ny "i -"
.s.s .,.ctric spark The battery Is at Con-
,'',. I'D the religions leaders of the Moslem
a,,a h.ye n masterful control of all the wires
,rh;. n,yer,nt has been IN progress now Tor sew
.-.l wears I. first became apparent "noi "'"oi'
came from headquarters two years OF 30 as" oo'"'
handing the local authorities to Gloss al
,or,ed by foreigners which did not possess hrnianS
en-, Tho sni,,n. This blow fell heavily on Cath
ol;cs and Protestants. The schools possessing
erm,,s scanned infnitesinal IN number Inc
.,,hor,,;,s went TO work with a truly oriental
ael,berateuess shrewlly beginning operations 10
rswote sections Of the interior and SLOWLY moving
down toward thnse regions more accessible from
the eaboard. In Syria the two regions most zeai-
ousIy watched by tho Turks are the hauran ana
tbe Nusaireyeh Mountains These parts are inhab-
tied by heretica Mosem sects which have always
chem back TO the orthodox faith with growing rest
Iessness BY means of the telegraph, hetter roads
and soldiers armed with repeating niles, the Gov
srnmept has at last placed these sects entirely
under its feet OF laie years the Protestant mis-
.;o,ariss from America ana England have also been
,nshinc into these regions and establishing good
elementary schools. The Turks having learned a
lesson from Robert College and Bulgaria. looked
with isalousy upon these efforts aud when they per-
eeiyed that these Institutions ere beginning to
awaken new life III the people, the fates were
fixed. To-day not foreign school in these regions,
which could be got at By fair means or fo5l has
been left.
What was accomplished with such theron ghness
in these two sections has been tried with more or
less severity every where else. The seaboard has
been compsi atvely untouched, yet the institutions
even in most favored places have had reason 10
tremble The authorities at Constantinopc have
utterly refrsed to recognize the graduates from tie
Jesuit med cal school al Beirut. Tho Iripoh boys
school under Protestant auspices has been closed.
The Turks have used with terrible precision their
time-honorel policy of playing of one Christian
acct against another. The Protestants who have
had signal exemption from such dealings ever sincc
she American missionaries landed on tLese shores,
have OF late suffered as severely as the Others. Brt
We cannot charge upon tue Turks any sinister
Moslem revival aud the wonder is that they are as
gentle as sley are. Doubtless the fear Of foreign
interference is all that keeps the spirit Of Islam
from gong its q lengths. PERMISSION mas in fact
been given for the erection of Der OF foreign
schools, bat IN almost every case 1t las been sipu
lated and agreed TO that no Moslem papiis be
allowed to attend Within tho last few months
strict oriers have come from CJnstantinople com-
nandins al local authorities to invest! gate the
schOoi question aud take every AoslSm clid oit IL
fore.en schools In mauy places there nave Deen
sweeping changes, but Ia still nlore Numerous 1T
stances the Law las fallen INTO Negligent hands
and tie children still en)ey good Instruction.
BIT closing and restricting sc ools Is only tne
negative part of the picture. This bankrupt empire
has male vigorous effort to bella Nosiem schools
to take tue place OF those dsbanded. All over the
land build nHs are IN process OF erection ana
M0,lem children are under comPnlsioh to attend
schools of their Own raj gion. but as may he ex-
pected, many portions OF this poverty-Stric ken,
OVertaxed country have lost scaooi privileges ato-
ceher, the result oil this onDciastc spirit lie
children Just awasing TO an Interest are driven
back 10 poverty aud ignorance.
Not only in the bnldIug OF schools and III a more
general care tor tho gious faith OF the coming
generation but also in the bull ang of mosques aud
shrines ami in caring ia general Tor the boy platc
does this MOslem revival proclaim itself All over
repaired aid new ones built. The Ar bic designa-
HOn for mosque" jamia has a strong sim,
iiarity meaning 10 the idea OF the old-fas6oncd
New gland nee, ng-house, and the use 10 winch
amosque ppt holds 10 the idea much IL ore closely
than the house of worsbp OF the Pilgrim Fathers
A mosque Is q great social well religious
power in D Mosiem town. Islam pushes the IT lig-
ous idea into the whole life and III turn tue rciI9
ous ceutre in place welcomes the whole life under
its roof A peep Into mosque ut any hour OF the
day reveals "a most animated sociAl scene. Thus IL
is that a revival II the building OF houses OF
worship means stronger grasp upon the whole NE
OF the community. Berut has a large number OF
new mosques and several OF them (wOuderfu TO
reate tiled roofs, SHOWING thai TINS most con
seryatve faith is not letting the world leave IT be-
hind in such things.
Another fact that IS still more signifcsnt-wner-
ever the traveller goes in Western Asia Ee unds
little MOsem sIriDes wileys, iOmbs OF Saints.
For the most part these look very shabby and many
are ruins. The last year or so has seen sudden
ami new departure. All over the M0sicm sections
Of Syria and especially IN Palestine these ruins are
being rebuilt and decorated. The other changes
for Inc Dettei that | have men toned might De the
result OF Dothing more than heaithiul progress.
These tonbs OF The saints, however, are not SEEM
ingiy Necessary part of the macbinerv al the
fath The money spent in these days OF poverty
aud strug gle OH these accessories OF religion tells
Significant story. The Aoslenis In earnest
SIN of outside rel gious aad they moan TO hold
iheir own in the iutnre. I he Tu klsb Empire is
the most thoroughly religious political power In
az ConstantiBoDle have gIasped the problem at tue
right end. TINS united effort made with great sac
riice all the domain will do more 10 console
date Turkish rule than splendid armies, full
treasury or formidable allies.